Sharing Our Journey While Encouraging Yours

Have you seen the movie Wonder? It is the story of a boy who is born with facial deformities which require multiple surgeries and much medical attention. Caring for his needs, taking him to medical appointments, and advocating for him is a full-time job for his mother. One of the themes in the movie centers … [Read more…]

“Grown-ups come back.” The song from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood resonates through my mind over and over. The episode is teaching preschoolers that when grown-ups drop them off somewhere, they always come back for them. Except they don’t. It happens every day. Children are brought to school or daycare by their parents, then picked up by … [Read more…]

My name is Amy, and I am a potty training failure. The very term “potty training” gives me heart palpitations. A quick Google search tells me I am not alone. Struggling parents can find info on potty training boys, potty training a two-year-old, how to know when your child is ready to potty train, and … [Read more…]

“Good, sure, whatever, grunt.” Most moms of boys know that getting their sons to communicate their world through language can be a struggle. We see the articles about how to ask leading questions that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. We are encouraged that we’ve finally found a way to get our … [Read more…]

Minimalism. It’s everywhere we turn these days, from the tiny house movement to simplifying mealtime to spending less. It seems the new generation is rejecting the opulence of their parents’ generation and the desire for more, more, more. Not only were we obsessed with more money, bigger houses, and better vacations, but our culture, it … [Read more…]

Each week this month, I am highlighting parenting issues and discussing what I am doing the same and different as I parent my girls. I started the series last week with how I am making decisions about where to send the girls for school. If you missed it, you can read it here. This week … [Read more…]

“Do-over!” How many times did you say that phrase as a kid? And how many times were you granted that coveted do-over? My husband and I have just been given a parenting do-over, and since we adopted our sweet girls, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I will do differently this time … [Read more…]

Today, Jay and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary! Goodness, it seems like just yesterday and a lifetime ago. To say we aren’t the same people we were then would be an understatement. Marriage, parenthood, and life in general have a way of teaching us, changing us, and pruning us into the people we … [Read more…]

A woman finds out she’s expecting her first child. She is overjoyed, and she thanks God for this precious gift. She begins to pray for her child, for their development in her womb, for good health when they’re born, and then for their life, that they will follow Jesus, maybe even change the world. Then … [Read more…]

I love using holidays to teach my kids more about our Christian faith. Recently, I set out in search of some resources to help my little ones understand why we celebrate Easter. First, I went into a large secular bookstore hoping to find some inspiration. They had a whole display of Easter books about springtime … [Read more…]